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Hi I'm Raylin

I grew up in Southern California. I am a former model. I am a mother of two children. I'm a Mormon.

About Me

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I am married to a wonderful husband, we have a baby boy together, my daughter who is 5 is from my previous marriage. My husband had to go out of state for work, so I spend half my time with my husband and half my time with my daughter. All the time I'm asked why I don't just move the whole family to where my husband can get work, family is important to me and I won't take my daughter away from her dad and I won't leave her behind, so I travel a lot! When I'm home with my daughter it feels like I don't have enough time, taking her to dance class and to school, doctors appointments and grocery shopping, never ending errands to run, I'm wiped by the end of the day! But I have found that there is a satisfaction in accomplishing so much by myself, I used to rely so heavily on my husband's help, now I find that I am strong enough to accomplish so much without it feeling daunting. I love the support I receive from my husband even though he is so far away, we are on the phone from the time he leaves work until we go to bed at night, usually about 5 hours each night, he is there for dinner and homework, he talks with the kids and helps in his fatherly way to teach them what is right, he is as involved as he can be while being so far away. Now when I'm visiting my husband all I seem to have is time, our little baby boy keeps me busy but I have more time to listen to audio books while taking care of him, knitting, and exercising, I can get more creative with my cooking too!

Why I am a Mormon

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After a rough childhood I found myself living with my aunt, uncle, and 4 cousins when I was 13 years old. They were members of the Church and introduced me to the missionaries, I had always known about the church but this was a way for me to understand the doctrine. During one of the missionary lessons we all knelt down to pray so that I could know if the Church was true, the Spirit was so strong, it testified to me of the truthfulness of the Gospel, I was baptized soon afterward. I then moved in with my sister and her new husband, even though they were members of the Church I was far away from all the support I had as I was investigating the Church and now was in a new area. I quickly gained friends who were of a negative influence on me and my brand new testimony did not withstand the peer pressure, I easily feel back into the life I had grown up with. Over the next several years I was back and forth with the Church, it all depended upon who I surrounded myself with, at Church I could feel the sweet Spirit, I had peace and calmness in my life, when bad influences surrounded me I would again and again fall back to how I had grown up. I was married young and for my daughters sake I wanted to go back to Church, but my husband at the time was not a member and did not like the Church so it always created contention between us, I stopped going to try to help our marriage. After my divorce, I was a single working mother, at that point I thought I was no good for the Church, I thought that I would be unwelcome in the Church; a new friend of mine told me that was not so, he invited me to a Church activity, I slowly started going to church with him and his friends. I knew that I believed in the Church, I had the Spirit testify this to me several times, I just needed to have a firm foundation. One of the reasons I knew the Church was true was because it is where I was happiest and had the most peace. Living the Gospel of Jesus Christ has brought me so much peace and joy.

How I live my faith

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The gospel is important in my life, it guides so much of what I do. Each night, as a family, we read from the scriptures and have family prayer, I want my children to know the gospel that we practice, so when they are old enough to decide they will be sure of their decision. I have had a couple callings in the Church, both have been working with the youth. Two years ago I worked with the young women of our ward, I taught lessons on Sundays, and helped plan activities during the week. Each week we would get together and have an activity, I remember one where we made cookies and then would 'ding dong ditch' people in the neighborhood leaving the cookies and a note on their door, the girls had so much fun with that. One activity was making baby hats for a local hospital, it was good to do service to show the girls how to serve in their community. We didn't always do service though, one of my favorite activities was playing ping-pong baseball in the church gym, it was hilarious. Currently I serve as a youth Sunday School teacher, I plan a lesson for each Sunday, this has helped to strengthen my testimony so much. I read assigned scriptures throughout the week and follow a guideline for what should be taught, I think without that I'd be lost. This year we are teaching from the New Testament, there is so much for me to learn from the New Testament, I'm really enjoying it. I do my best to teach by the Spirit, I want the youth I'm teaching to know that the gospel is true, I want them to be able to feel truthfulness of what I'm teaching, it has been a wonderful way to serve in Christ's church. I also have the opportunity to go do visiting teaching, another sister and I go and visit other sisters, we see how each of them are doing and if there is anything they need, for me though the best part is the socializing and getting to know others. It is a good time to bond with other women in the church, I have become really good friends with the sister who serves with me.

Are Mormons Christians?

Raylin

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Yes! Mormons are Christians. The name of the Church is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, in the name of the Church it states it very clearly that we are The Church of Jesus Christ. We believe Jesus is the Savior of all mankind, He is our way back to our Heavenly Father, we believe we are saved through the atonement and grace of Christ. I love my Savior Jesus Christ, I am a Mormon, I am a Christian!Show moreShow less